Single-payer health care is back on the table at the California Capitol
This week, California lawmakers will take up the latest attempt to get all state residents covered under the same health plan — an idea referred to as single payer health care — that’s been sparking debate at the Capitol for the past five years.
Under the new plan, dubbed CalCare, all Californians would be insured by the same entity and would be able to access any doctor, regardless of network. Supporters argue that this will reduce price gouging and give all residents equal access to care.
AB 1400 is sponsored by the California Nurses Association, who
first introduced single payer legislation in 2017. At the time, the proposal had an estimated
$400 billion price tag and no funding source.
After it failed,
an Assembly committee gathered to discuss options for reforming the state’s health care delivery system. The committee put together recommendations for how to make coverage more affordable and accessible for all Californians, which informed legislation that emerged in the following years.
The new proposal would create a tax to fund the single payer option. The tax would apply to companies earning more than $2 million, businesses with 50 or more employees and individuals making more than roughly $150,000 a year.
